The story, in the midst of various discussions of reform in collegiate athletics and pay-for-play, could have far-reaching ramifications. The details of the benefits provided to Miami football players by Shapiro, a convicted felon serving time for his role in a Ponzi scheme, are stunning:

At a cost that Shapiro estimates in the millions of dollars, he said his benefits to athletes included but were not limited to cash, prostitutes, entertainment in his multimillion-dollar homes and yacht, paid trips to high-end restaurants and nightclubs, jewelry, bounties for on-field play (including bounties for injuring opposing players), travel and, on one occasion, an abortion.

Shapiro claims that these violations were committed in plain sight of the University of Miami’s administration:

Shapiro said he was enabled by the university, allowed to run the entire Miami team out of tunnel and onto the field – twice – and once honored on the field by former athletic director Paul Dee during a game. The same Paul Dee who wagged a finger at USC as the chairman of the NCAA’s committee on infractions in 2010, chiding the Reggie Bush/O.J. Mayo scandal as a systematic failure.

In addition, Shapiro also claims that some Miami assistant coaches were aware of the benefits that he provided to players, which could lead to a finding of willful violations under NCAA rules. Such a finding could overcome the NCAA’s 4-year statute of limitations according to Robinson:

Under bylaw 36.2.3, an investigation can expand beyond the statute if information reveals that an individual tied to a university has engaged in “a pattern of willful violations” over a sustained period beyond the previous four years.

Although it is early in the investigation, Miami could be forced to deal with a host of NCAA violations:

All told, the length, breadth and depth of the impropriety Shapiro has alleged would potentially breach multiple parts of at least four major NCAA bylaws – and possibly many more. Shapiro described acts that could include violations of multiple parts of bylaw 11, involving impermissible compensation to coaches; multiple parts of bylaw 12, involving amateurism of athletes; multiple parts of bylaw 13, involving improper recruiting activity; and multiple parts of bylaw 16, involving extra benefits to athletes.

Comments

I read the Yahoo Sports story when it first hit and I was floored! I don’t believe that Miami’s athletic compliance suffered any “oversights.” Oversights are unintentional errors. Based on what’s been published thus far, Miami’s athletic compliance appears to have willfully turned a blind eye to the activities linked to Shapiro. It will be fascinating to watch this play out!

[…] While Golden was interviewing with Miami, the university was reportedly aware of former booster Nevin Shapiro’s allegations that he provided millions of dollars in impermissible benefits to at…. Miami, however, never informed Golden of the brewing […]

[…] NCAA has suspended its investigation of the University of Miami and the scandal involving former booster Nevin Shapiro after it was discovered that NCAA investigators improperly obtained documents from Shapiro’s […]